Alarm apparatus for portable containers



Nov. 22, 1955 E. F. TOEPFER 2,724,323

ALARM APPARATUS FOR PORTABLE CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l IIIII 55 E. F. TOEPFER 2,724,823

ALARM APPARATUS FOR PORTABLE CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent ice Famed Noi ziii si ALARM APPARATUS FOR PORTABLE CONTAINERS The invention relates to burglar alarms.

The main object of the invention is to provide a burglar alarm apparatus which maybe permanently attached to a container such as a safe, cash box, cash register, large refrigerators, orsimilar repository so that an unauthorized attempt to tamper with the container or carry if 011 will result in the sounding of an alarm. The alarm apparatus is actuatedby a dry battery and for the purpose of renewingthis battery hasa key controlled locking mechanism that permits access to the interior of the alarm apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide an alarm apparatus of the character above described which may be connected with an exterior switch that may be actuated through connections with points of access such as a door or window of the room in which the protected container is located so as to also operate the alarm.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter describedandmo're. particularly. defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation view of alarm apparatus embodying the invention, parts being broken away. and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a detailed vertical'se'ctional view taken along the line 2-2 of 'Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a detailed vertical.sectional'view'taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4'is a detailed view of the tilt switchas. viewed along the line 44o'f Fig. 1, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation view of alarm apparatus embodying the invention applied to a .safe; I

Fig. 6 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is anelevation view of-the-apparatus showing it applied to a cash register; I

Fig. 8. is-a detailed vertical sectional'view takenon the. line 8--8 of Fig. 7;.

Fi 9 is a diagrammatic. view-shOW g the l rm apparatus hooked up with exterior actuators;

Fig, 10 is a view showing thealarm. apparatus applied to a. cash box;

11 is a ,circuit .wirinadiagram...

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, the alarm apparatus includes a metal box having a bottom section-and a cover section-. 1

The bottom section is formed of relatively heavy metal plate to provide a flat base 14 and oppositely disposed angled sides 15. The base is secured by welding indicated at 16 to the container to be protected.

The cover section is in the form of a box having a top 17 and four sides 18 extending at an angle thereto and adapted to fit over the base section including the sides as shown in Fig. l and be secured thereto by a single centrally disposed bolt 19 which has threaded connection with a tubular stud 20 welded to the central portion of the base 14 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

An electrically operated audible alarm such as a motor driven siren 21,, a horn or a bell is suitably mounted on the base section and is here shown as having a mounting portion 22 secured by stud bolts 23 to one of the sides 15 of the base section. An electric drybattery 24 is. removably mounted on the base 14 as by a spring clip 25. A heat'sensitive switch 26 is secured to the base by screws 27. .A relay and switch mechanism 28 is secured to one of the sides .15 as is also a mercury tilt switch 29.

Unauthorized removal of the cover section by the un screwing of the bolt 19 is prevented by a slidably movable latch member 34) which is suitably mounted, and guided on the bottom section as shown in Fig. 2 by the plate 31 secured by shouldered screws 32 to amounting block 33 and working in slots 34 in said member. The latch works in a slot 35 in the stud 20 and is adapted to project into an annular slot 36 in the bolt so as to form a stop to prevent removal of the bolt except when the latch is withdrawn from said slot. The latch isheld in locking position by a cam projection 37 on one end which engages a lock controlled member 38 in the set position of the alarm. A spring 39 interposed between the cam 37 and the block 33 urges the latch 39 to a release position when the member 38 is swung to a release position by turning it in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 3.

A pick proof key controlled lock 40 has its key rotated barrel clamped by a nut 40a to the member 38 so that this member may cooperate with the cam 37 in the manner above described to control the movement of the latch 30.

The mercury switch 29 comprises a glass housing 41 containing a pool of mercury 42 and cooperative contacts 43 and 44 and is shown as supported from the base by a bracket 45. The contact 44 dips into the pool while the contact 43 has a ring-shaped lower end 46 normally spaced above the pool in the vertical position but adapted to contact the pool when the switch is tilted to close the circuit.

The heat sensitive switch 26 may be of any suitable form, and in Fig. 6 l have shown one form of switch for this purpose including a hired contact 47 and a resilient contact 48. Contact 47 is connected by a bridge member 49 to a terminal screw 59. Contact 48 is connected to a terminal post 51. The free end of the contact 43 bears against the central portionof a flexible metal diaphragm 52 mounted on the base 53 of insulating material. A semi-spherical metal hood54 is mounted on the base 53 and cooperates therewith and with the diaphragm 52 to form an air chamber 55. A spring member 56 is mounted in the hood, one of it's ends being firmly secured thereto while itsother end 57 is secured of a small air vent 60 in the base 53. This switch is adapted to function if a torch is applied to the alarm box or if the container such as a safe is heated by a torch in an attempt to burn off the combination or otherwise burn a hole in the safe.

In Fig. 5 the invention is shown as applied to a small portable safe 61, the alarm box being fastened to the bottom of the safe. It may also be applied to the top of the safe.

In Fig. the alarm box B including the key controlled cover section is shown as mounted on the top of a portable cash box 62.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the alarm apparatus applied to the base of a cash register 63, and in this connection an additional switch 64 has been shown as mounted in the alarm housing and whose actuator 65 is disposed adjacent the outer end of a short lever arm 66 of one of the arms 67 of a U-shaped guard member 68 whose arms 67 are pivotally mounted at 69 on the exterior of the alarm box B. Normally the guard member 68 when in operation is disposed in the full line upper position shown in Fig. 8 in which it blocks outward sliding movement of the money drawer 70 of the register and holds the normally closed switch 64 open. Outward movement of the drawer 70 by a thief will cause a downward swinging movement of the guard 68 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 8, thus permitting the switch to close.

For containers, such as small safes, the alarm box may also have an exteriorly disposed switch 71 includ ing a fixed contact 72 and a resilient contact member 73 biased to closed position but held open by a strip 74 of insulating material that is connected to one end of a pull cord 75 which may be connected as indicated in Fig. 9 with the door 76 of a room 77 so that opening of this door will dislodge the strip 74 and permit the switch 71 to close, or a pull on the cord 75 by a cord 78 connecting it to the lower sash 79 of a window in the room will also open the switch if the sash is raised.

A fire alarm switch 80, similar to the switch shown in Fig. 6, is also shown as connected by a line extension 81 with the terminals of the switch 71 so that in case of fire, the alarm will be sounded.

Referring to Fig. 11, a circuit diagram of the interior switches, the switches 64 and 71, the relay and controlled switch mechanism 28 and a key controlled relay cut-out switch 82 has been shown. The relay 28 includes a magnet 83 cooperating with a pair of jointly movable operatively connected pivoted switch contacts 84 and 85 and an energizing coil 86 for said magnet. One terminal of the battery 24 is connected by a conductor 87 which includes the switch 82 to one end of the coil 86. The switches 64, 26, 29 and 71 are connected in parallel with conductors 88 and 89, and a conductor 90 connects the other end of the coil with the conductor 89. One terminal of the audible alarm 21 is connected to the arm 85 by a conductor 91 which is also connected to conductor 88. Conductor 89 connects with arm 84. The other terminal of the alarm is connected to a fixed contact 92 by a conductor 93 which also connects by conductor 94 with the other terminal of the battery 24. A fixed contact 95 is connected by a conductor 96 with conductor 87.

The circuit is shown in set position. the switches 64, 26, 29 or 71 closes or is permitted to close, the alarm 21 will be operated and coil 86 will be energized, the circuit being battery 24, conductor 87, coil 86, conductors 90, 89, 88, 91, alarm 21, conductors 93 and 94 back to the battery. The magnet 83 then being energized pulls the contacts 84 and 85 into engagement with their cooperative contacts 92 and 95 so that if any of the switches 64, 26, 29 or 71 are opened, the alarm 21 will still be operated since an auxiliary holding circuit is established by passage of current from the If any one of 4 battery through conductor 87, coil 86, conductors 90 and 89, contacts 84 and 92, conductors 93 and 94 to the battery to keep the coil 86 energized and allow current to pass through conductors 87 and 96, contacts 95 and 85, conductor 91, alarm 21, and conductors 93 and 94 back to the battery to keep the alarm operating.

Under these conditions the alarm can only be shut off by the operators insertion of his key in the lock 40 and his turning of its barrel with the cam member 38 to move said member from its full line position shown in Fig. 3 to its dotted line position to move the switch actuator arm 97 operatively connected with the movable member of the switch 82 by a button member 98 indicated in said figure.

It will, therefore, be apparent if the outside switch 71 is closed as above described, or the container is tilted in an attempt to carry it otf so that the switch 29 is tilted, or if the heat from a torch is applied to the alarm casing or parts of the container sufiicient to cause the thermal switch 26 to be closed, or if in the case of a cash register the switch 64 is closed in an unauthorized attempt to open its money drawer, then in any of the above instances the alarm 21 will be operated and will continue to operate until the battery 24 is exhausted or the switch 82 is opened.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of: parts except in so far as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In an alarm apparatus for portable containers of valuables, the combination of a housing for alarm parts including a base section fixed to the container to be protected and a cover section, means for detachably securing said base section and cover section together, key controlled means for preventing unauthorized removal of said securing means including a lock operated member, said housing having an alarm circuit therein including a cut-out switch, said cut-out switch being controlled by the lock operated member of said key con trolled means which when moved to operate said cutout switch permits the release of said securing means.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the means for detachably securing said base section and cover section together is a bolt having threaded connection with said base section and provided with an annular groove and the lock operated member is a latch normally engaging in said groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 530,975 Stromberg Dec. 18, 1894 886,355 Dawson May 5, 1908 919,385 Rothven Apr. 27, 1909 1,409,156 Dillon May 14, 1922 1,720,230 Murray July 9, 1929 1,869,404 Boissonnault Aug. 2 ,1932 2,273,440 Gould Feb. 17, 1942 2,295,482 Kemp Sept. 8, 1942 2,438,076 Stelter Mar. 16, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,341 Australia Oct. 4, 1935 

